Materials-handling stackable rack and self-engaging grab hoist therefor



Feb. 14, 1967 J. T. PARsoNs MATERIALS-HANDLING STACKABLE RACK AND SELF-ENGAGING GRAB HOIST THEREFOR 3 Sheets- Sheet l Filed April 15, 1964 INVENTOR JOHN T. PARSONS BY m ATTORNEY Fell 14, 1967 .1. T. PARSONS MATERIALSHANDLING STACKABLE RACK AND SELF-ENGAGING GRAB HOIST THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1964 INVENTOR T. PARSONS JOHN ATTORNEY Feb. 14, 1967 1 T. PARsoNs 3,303,944

MATERIALS-HNDLING STACKABLE RACK AND SELF-ENGAGING GRAB HOIST THEREFOR Filed April l5, 1964 5 Sheets-Shea?. 5

FIG. 6.

I l |o l l lO E iO- 30 I 3o l FIG. 7.

INVENTOR JOHN T. PARSONS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,303,944 MA'I'ERIALS-HANDLING STACKABLE RACK AND SELF-ENGAGlNG GRAB HOIST THEREFOR John T. Parsons, Traverse City, Mich., assignor to Parsons Corporation, Traverse City, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 359,940 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-8) The present invention relates generally to transpo-rting and storage apparatus and more particularly to a materials-handling stackable rack and self-engaging `grab hoist therefor.

Those concerned with the development of large materials-handling racks have long recognized the need for such racks which are stackable by means of an overhead crane, or the like. Heretofore, some ditlic-ulty has been encountered in stacking large materials-handling racks such as those used to hold long materials or components. In handling such racks, overhead cranes of the type which move along rails mounted near the ceiling of factory storage rooms are often employed. It is highly desirable lfor storage purposes to be able to utilize such overhead cranes to place such racks, one on another, in closely spaced rows, stacking them to extend to the upper lifting limit of the crane. To expedite such stacking, the racks and crane must coact so that a minimum amount of human manipulation is involved; that is, it is not feasible to manually engage the crane and rack each time a rack is to be moved. Furthermore, the racks so stacked should be sturdy and not subject to misalignment by ordinary jostling or handling. Also, it is desirable that the racks should be easily separated from each other and maneuvered along the floor by one or two persons, The present invention satises these needs Vand embraces the attendant advantages not available in similarly employed prior art materials-handling racks.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a relatively long, stackable rack for transporting and storing materials, which rack is self-guiding into longitudinal and centered registration with a similar rack positioned therebeneath.

Another object is to provide a stackable rack which, when stacked, distributes its load `uniformly to a similarly constructed rack positioned directly therebeneath.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a grab hoist which is self-guiding into longitudinal registration with a stackable rack preparatory to engagement with the rack.

Still another object is to provide a self-guiding grab hoist having remotely operable engagement means which are 'brought automatically into registration with a stackable rack to be lifted by the hoist.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a combination materials-handlin-g rack and grab hoist therefor, useful to transport and stack materials in closely spaced columns and rows by means of an overhead crane in which the engagement and disengagement of the rack is performed automatically.

Further objects are to render the racks readily movable separately along the floor of the workroom, and to render the grab hoist mechanism useful for lifting and transporting shorter concentrated loads alternately with its use with the long racks.

Sdlid Patented Feb. 14, i967 are ICC

In the present invention these purposes (as well as others apparent herein) are achieved generally by providing a stackable rack including a horizontal rack bed structure consisting of longitudinal side edges having side wall members aixed to their outer sides. The side wall members extend upwardly, substantially in vertical planes spaced symmetrically about the center plane, land they terminate in a horizontal top rail member aligned and secured to the upper ends of the side wall members. A plurality of stacking guides are provided to project upwardly ifrom the upper surfaces of the upper rail members. Each stacking guide has a lateral guiding surface sloping inwardly and downwardly to center a similarly constructed rack stacked thereupon. Stacking guide follower members project outwardly from the lower bed structure at a space complementary to that of the stacking guides. In combination with the rack there is provided a grab hoist having a bed, the length of which eX- tends at least the longitudinal spacing of the stacking guides, and the width of which corresponds to the width of the rack bed structure. The grab hoist is provided with longitudinally-spaced means to suspend it and stacking guide follower members which project outwardly at spacings complementary to the spacing of the stacking guides of the rack. As shown in FIG. 5, the outward projection of the guide follower members brings them only as far as the outer surfaces of the top rails 26, 28 and side members 22, 24. The hoist further has remotely operated latch means to selectively engage and disengage the rack at its stacking guides.

Other objects and many of the attend-ant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIG. l is a partial elevational view of two materialslhand-ling racks of the present invention stacked one upon the other to illustrate the longitudinal registration of the stacked racks;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the stacked racks of FIG. 1 showinD the lateral registration of the racks;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view of a self-engaging` grab hoist registered longitudinally above the stackable racks of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan View of the grab vhoist shown correspondingly to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged broken perspective view of an end portion of the stacked racks of FIG. l yand the grab hoist of FIG. 3, illustrating in detail the co-operation between the stacking guides and guide follower members which coact to provide the longitudinal and lateral registration thereof;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 6 6 of FIG. 4 showing one of the grab hoist latch members projecting into `a stacking guide member of a stackable rack; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of the removal, pickup :and stacking operations, as applied to a rack situated Vbetween closely spaced columns of adjacently stacked racks.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 5 a materials-handling rack, generally desi-gnated 10, stacked upon a similar rack, generally designated 12. Such racks for transporting sections of missile fuel lines, `and the like, may have a length of 45 feet or more. For purposes of illustration, only approximately one-half of each rack is shown, it being understood that each rack is symmetrical longitudinally about `a center-line CL shown in FIG. l. Both of the materials-handling racks and 12 shown are identical in construction.

As its structural base, each rack has a horizontal bed, generally designated 14, formed symmetrically with respect to a longitudinally-extending center plane, Irepresented by a dashed line A-A in FIG. 2 and extending laterally between the parallel inner vertical planes B-B and C-C, spaced from each other at a width W. The horizontal bed 14 is rectangular in plan view and has formed along its side edges two longitudinally-extending, tubular Ilower rail members 16 :and 18, generally square in cross-section, whose outer edge surfaces lie in the planes B-B and C-C. Laterally-extending cross bars 20 of similar material are welded to the longitudinal rail members 16 and 18 at their ends and at spaced locations intermediate such ends. The materials-handling racks 10 and 12 have side wall structures, generally designated 22, alxed to the horizontal bed structure 14 along its outer sides. The inner sides of the side Wall structures 22 extend upwardly from horizontal bed structure 14 along the outer sides of the inner vertical planes B-B and C-Cg outer vertical planes parallel thereto are defined by the outer sides of the members of these side wall structures. Vertical and diagonal load-carrying members 24, 24' `and 24 of the side wall structures 22 have their lower inne-r surfaces welded to the outer side edge surfaces of the lower rail members 18 and 20 of the bed structure 14. The upper ends of the load-carrying members 24, 24 and 24" are welded to the undersurfaces of horizontal top rail members `26 and 28, which are square tubular members like the lower rail members 16 and 18.

At each end of the rack and at the longitudinal center M of each side wall structure 22 the load-carrying member 24 takes the form of a vertical post. Intermediate these ends, the 'load-carrying members are inclined diagonally, extending downwardly from clusters at support points P along the upper rail members 26, 28, to terminate with their lower ends co-terminous with the undersurfaces of the lower bed structure rails 16 `and 18. As illustrated, four load-carrying members diverge diagonally from each support point P. Two of these members 24' terminate adjacent `to the center posts 24 and end posts 24, respectively, while the other members 24" terminate lat positions along the lower rails 16 and 18 intermediate these end and center-line posts 24. Since the lower ends of each load-carrying member 24 are co-terminous with the undersurface of the rails 16 and 18, they may rest on top of upper rails of a similarly constructed rack positioned therebeneath. When the materials-handling rack 10 is so stacked upon the similarly constructed rack 12 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the lower rail members 16 yand 18 of the horizontal bed 14 are positioned inwardly of the side wall structures 22 of the rack beneath. This result is achieved as follows:

A plurality of stacking guides 30 `are spaced longitudinally from the longitudinal mid-points or centers M of the rail members 26 and '28 in laterally registering pairs. They project upwardly from the Iupper surfaces of the top rail members 26 and 28, 'and are located in longitudinal registration with exposed portions of the bed structure edges therebeneath, i.e., out of registration with the lower ends of any of the diagonal side wall structure members 24, 24 and 24". Each stacking guide 30 is provided with a lateral guiding surface 32 which slopes downward kfrom its pointed uppermost projection at the outer vertical plane, and inward to the inner vertical plane B-B, C-C, which it intersects at a level above the top rail members 26, 28; and is provided with a vertical inner abutment surface 33 extending downward from said level to the top rail members 26, 28. These serve to guide the outer side edges of the longitudinal rail members 16 and 18 of a similar rack stacked thereupon to ya laterally centered position between -the vertical abutment surfaces 33 as the bottoms of the -vertioal posts 24 and diagonal load carrying members 24' and 24 come to rest on the upper surfaces of the rails 26, 28 of a similar rack beneath (see FIGS. 2 and 5). yEach stacking guide 30 is further provided with downward-sloping, longitudinallyextending edge surfaces 34 extending longitudinally from its uppermost projection to the top rail members 26, 28 which coact with stacking guide follower members, to be described he-reinafter, to longitudinally position the racks 1t) one upon the other. A lateral bore 36 extends through each sta-cking guide 30 so that a self-engaging grab hoist 44, to be described hereinafter, may be attached to each ofthe racks 10 Aat the support points P.

Stacking -guide `follower members 38 are welded to the outer surface of the longitudinal rails 16 and 18 of the lower bed structure 14, to project laterally outward from the rails 16 and 18 into the planes B-B and C-C, Iwhereby to t longitudinally adjacent to the stacking guides 30 of a similar rack 10 positioned therebeneath. As shown in FIG. 5, the outward projection of the guide follower members brings them only as far `as the outer surfaces of the top rails 26, 28 `and side members 22, 24. The guide follower members 38 are longitudinally spaced from each other along the rails y16 and 18 vso as to be complementary to the stacking guides30; that is, to rest against the sloping longitudinally-extending edge surfaces 34 of the stacking guides 30 in such manner as to compel longitudinal registration of an upper rack .upon a lower rack. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the guide follower members 38 lare located to abut the stacking guides 3l) on their longitudinally inner sides, but might instead have been so located as to abut their longitudinally outer sides.

In the illustrative embodiment these members 38 are V-shaped angles which are inclined at an yangle complementary tothe longitudinal edge surfaces 34 of the stacking guides 30. It should be understood that any other suitable complementary t between the guides30 and guide follower 38 can be utilized and that only one side of a member such as the V-shaped vangle is necessary .to mate suitably with the guides 30. Thus, in stacking one rack ontoanother, the stacking guide follower members 38 follow the sloping longitudinal edge surfaces 34 to guide the rack to longitudinal registeringposition.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the end vertical post 24 of the stackable rack 12 is partially broken away to reveal a caster sleeve 40 into which casters 42 may be fixably secured. Byinserting the casters 42 in-to the caster sleeves 40, the racks 10 Lare readily movable along theiioors of work rooms or storage rooms. The casters 42, however, `are removable so that the racks may be transported on vehicles or stacked one upon the other in storage rooms.

'Ihe unique self-engaging grab hoist 44 used .to transport and stack Ithe materialshandling racks 10 will now be described with referenceto FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. There is shown the grab hoist 44 having a bed formed principally as a rectangular frame welded of heavy steel closed beams. These are the longitudinal beam members 46 and 48 and the end cross beams 50. Intermediate crossbeams 51 are also provided. The grab hoist 44 has a length established lby the beams `46, 48 which corresponds at least to the longitudinal spacing of the stacking guides 30. Its width W, demarked by the outer edge surfaces of the beams, is the same as the spacing W between the parallel Vertical planes B-B and C--C at the inner surfaces of the rack side w-all structures 22.

Along the outer surfaces of the longitudinal rail members 46 `and 48, and adjacent to their lower edges as shown in FIG. 3', are welded stackable guide follower members 56, similar in operation to guide followers 38. The guide follower members `56 are inclined angles which project sideward from the rail members 46 and 48. They are spaced longitudinally Itherealong complementary to the spacing of the stacking guides 30; that is, in the same manner as has been described for the complementary longitudinal alignment provisions for the superimposed racks. Each of the stacking guide follower members 56 has a follower surface S8 which, when lowered onto the longitudinal edge surfaces 34 of the stacking guides 30, will follow such longitudinal edge surface, thereby to guide the grab hoist 44 to longitudinal registering position on the rack therebene-ath.

Longitudinally spaced crane attachment flanges 52 are secured to the intermediate beams 51, to extend upward from their mid-portions. An overhead crane which is used in transporting and stacking the materials-handling racks 10, carries members which are securable through the longitudinal bores 54 provided in the crane attachment flanges 52. In this manner the overhead crane may maneuver the grab hoist 44 above the stackable racks and lower the hoist bed into engagement between the stacking guides 30 of a rack beneath, in laterally centered position.

Remotely operable latch means, `generally designated 60, yare mounted between the longitudinal beam members 46 and 48 and extend therethrough. Their longitudinal spacing equals the longitudinal spacing of the pairs of spacing guides 30 on the racks. Referring to FIG. 6, a housing 62 secured between the rail members 46 and 48 supports two solenoids 68, base to base. To each solenoid 68 is secured an outward-extending solenoid pin 64 which is supported within the ibeam 46, 48 by ya sleeve 66. The solenoids 68 are remotely operable by means of electrical conductors (not shown) which, for example, may be provided frorn the control mechanism of the crane.

Upon actuation of the solenoids 68, the solenoidoperated pins 64 are caused to project sidewardly outward through their sleeves 66, into the lateral bores 36 of stacking guides 30 of a rack beneath, as indicated by the dashed lines of FIG. 6.

If heavy concentrated loads lare alternately to be transported by the same crane, on short racks having only a single pair of stacking guides 30, .it may be desirable to provide similar remotely operable latch means 60 lat the longitudinal center M of the grab hoist 44 as well. These are shown at the left end of FIGS. 3 and 4.

In operation, the overhead crane is attached lto the grab hoist 44 at the crane attachment flanges 52 and the grab hoist maneuvered into `approximate lateral and longitudinal alignment with va stackable rack 10 to be lifted. It is not necessary that the alignment and registration be exact. As the grab hoist 44 is lowered, the follower surface 58 of the stacking guide follower members 56 will guide the hoist 44 onto the rack with the solenoidoperated pins 64 aligned with the lateral bores 36 of the stacking guides 30. Upon actuation of the solenoid 68, the pins 64 project from their retracted position into ythe bores 36, thereby to engage the hoist 44 and the stackable rack 1G.

To stack the engaged rack 10 upon Ia similarly constructed rack, the crane operator maneuvers the grab hoist 44 to a position 'approximately in longitudinal and lateral alignment with the rack positioned therebeneath. Again .the alignment and registration need not be exact. The outer surfaces of the lower rails 16 and 18 will be giuded into their stacked position by the lateral guiding surfaces 32 of the stacking guides 30' yand longitudinal registration of the racks is assured by the stacking guide follower members 38 following the longitudinal edge surfaces 34 of the stacking guides 30. After the racks 16 have been so stacked and the longitudinal and lateral registration established, the solenoid 68 may again be deactuated to withdraw the pins 64 from the @bores 36 into 5 their retracted position. The grab hoist 44 is thus separated from the upper rack 10 and is free to pick-up, transport, stack and deposit other racks.

FIG. 7 illustrates schematically the ability of the materials-handling racks 10 and the self-engaging grab hoists 44 of the present invention to be used where a minimum amount of space is available for storage of the racks. The racks may be stacked in closely spaced columns; yet, the grab Ihoist 44 may be lowered between two of these columns to pick-up or deposit Ia rack therebetween. There are no protruding members of the cornbination which extend laterally outward of the side wall structures 22. Therefore, the columns of stacked racks may be positioned adjacent to one another, each rack remaining accessible to the grab hoist 44.

Obviously many modifications and rvariations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above eachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than yas specifically described.

I claim: 1. A materials rack suited lfor stacking vertically and in sidewise and endwise contact with similarly constructed racks, comprising a rack bed having horizontal longitudinal outer side edges defining inner vertical planes, 4

sidewall posts affixed thereto and extending upwardly therefrom leaving portions of the bed outer side edges exposed,

the inner sides of said sidewall posts coinciding with said inner vertical planes and their outer sides deiining outer vertical planes,

horizontal top rail members secured to said posts, the

inner land outer sides of said top rail members coinciding with said inner and outer yvertical planes respectively, and

a plurality of stacking guides secured to and projecting Iabove the 'horizontal top rail members in longitudinal registration with such expos-ed portions of the bed edges therebeneath, and spaced longitudinally from the rail member midpoints,

each stacking guide having a lateral guiding surface sloping downwardly and inwardly from such outer vertical plane to said inner vertical plane and intersecting same iat `a level above the top rail, and a vertical inner abutment surface extending from said level downward to the top rail,

whereby to guide downward laterally to centered position and then hold abuttingly the exposed side edge portions of the bed structure of -a similar rack when superimposed thereon, each stacking guide further having la longitudinal guiding surface sloping from its uppermost projection longitudinally downward to the top rail member.

together with stacking guide follower members affixed to rand projecting outwardly from the exposed outer side portions of the bed structure toward said outer vertical planes, said follower members having a longitudinal spacing complementa-ry to that of the stacking guides,

whereby to cooperate with the longitudinal guiding surfaces ofthe stacking guide of a similar rack positioned therebeneath to 'achieve longitudinal alignment thereon.

2. A stackable rack land grab hoist therefor, comprislng a materials rack `as defined in claim 1,

the said stacking guides having lateral horizontal bores penetrating their said vertical inner abutment surfaces,

in combination with a grab hoist includ-ing a grab hoist bed hav-ing a length greater than the longitudinal spacing between said stacking gui-des and having a width dened lby exposed -outer side edges,

said Width being eqn-al to the width of the rack bed structure,

whereby to be guided downwardly by the lateral guide surfaces of the stacking guides to laterally centered positionfbetween their vertical inner abutment surfaces,

further having stacking guide follower members projecting sidewardly from its exposed side edges land spaced longitudinally at 'a spacing complementary to that of the stacking guides,

whereby to cooperate with the longitudinal guiding sur faces of the stacking guides of a rack ytherebeneath Ito `achieve longitudinal valignment `there-on,

furthe-r having latch pin means selectively extensible laterally outward from the grab hoist bed side edges to engage within said bores of the stacking guides.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS GERALD M. FORLENZA, Prima/'y Examiner.

MORRIS 'TEMIN, Examiner. 

1. A MATERIALS RACK SUITED FOR STACKING VERTICALLY AND IN SIDEWISE AND ENDWISE CONTACT WITH SIMILARLY CONSTRUCTED RACKS, COMPRISING A RACK BED HAVING HORIZONTAL LONGITUDINAL OUTER SIDE EDGES DEFINING INNER VERTICAL PLANES, SIDEWALL POSTS AFFIXED THERETO AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM LEAVING PORTIONS OF THE BED OUTER SIDE EDGES EXPOSED, THE INNER SIDES OF SAID SIDEWALL POSTS COINCIDING WITH SAID INNER VERTICAL PLANES AND THEIR OUTER SIDES DEFINING OUTER VERTICAL PLANES, HORIZONTAL TOP RAIL MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID POSTS, THE INNER AND OUTER SIDES OF SAID TOP RAIL MEMBERS COINCIDING WITH SAID INNER AND OUTER VERTICAL PLANES RESPECTIVELY, AND A PLURALITY OF STACKING GUIDES SECURED TO AND PROJECTING ABOVE THE HORIZONTAL TOP RAIL MEMBERS IN LONGITUDINAL REGISTRATION WITH SUCH EXPOSED PORTIONS OF THE BED EDGES THEREBENEATH, AND SPACED LONGITUDINALLY FROM THE RAIL MEMBER MIDPOINTS, EACH STACKING GUIDE HAVING A LATERAL GUIDING SURFACE SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY FROM SUCH OUTER VERTICAL PLANE TO SAID INNER VERTICAL PLANE AND INTERSECTING SAME AT A LEVEL ABOVE THE TOP RAIL, AND A VERTICAL INNER ABUTMENT SURFACE EXTENDING FROM SAID LEVEL DOWNWARD TO THE TOP RAIL, WHEREBY TO GUIDE DOWNWARD LATERALLY TO CENTERED POSITION AND THEN HOLD ABUTTINGLY THE EXPOSED SIDE EDGE PORTIONS OF THE BED STRUCTURE OF A SIMILAR RACK WHEN SUPERIMPOSED THEREON, EACH STACKING GUIDE FURTHER HAVING A LONGITUDINAL GUIDING SURFACE SLOPING FROM ITS UPPERMOST PROJECTION LONGITUDINALLY DOWNWARD TO THE TOP RAIL MEMBER, TOGETHER WITH STACKING GUIDE FOLLOWER MEMBERS AFFIXED TO AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE EXPOSED OUTER SIDE PORTIONS OF THE BED STRUCTURE TOWARD SAID OUTER VERTICAL PLANES, SAID FOLLOWER MEMBERS HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SPACING COMPLEMENTARY TO THAT OF THE STACKING GUIDES, WHEREBY TO COOPERATE WITH THE LONGITUDINAL GUIDING SURFACES OF THE STACKING GUIDE OF A SIMILAR RACK POSITIONED THEREBENEATH TO ACHIEVE LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT THEREON. 